


no way out and a long way down

by badlands (delusiohns)



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Character Study, F/F, Maya-centric, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 20:56:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5680525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delusiohns/pseuds/badlands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They kind of have a thing going so Maya entertains it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	no way out and a long way down

**Author's Note:**

> i don't have a beta and i really should so all mistakes are mine. i apologize in advanced.

Maya's job is to be strong. Strong means bullets in the form of words and a tongue that's always cocked and ready to shoot. Everyone's a target nowadays, anyone who can walk out of her life and never come back. She'll shoot them in the legs before she lets that happen again. Bloody footsteps are better than the gapping holes in her heart. She'll take the blood on her hands over the aching in her soul any day.

It's why she tries to turn down Riley Matthews when she comes looking for a friend.

It's not a hard concept for her to wrap her mind around. It's common sense to her, if you don't let anyone in then they can't hurt you. But she knows it's hard for Riley to understand by the way her stupid little mouth contorts and how her the twinkle in her eyes dim just a bit. Of course it's hard for Riley to understand, flowers have always bloomed in her. All Maya has are vines that have clawed up her ribs, blocking out the light and smothering lungs. She thinks the flowers in her must have turned to weeds when her two parents were traded in for half of a mother. It's not math that Riley can do, it's not calculations she'd understand. And this isn't something Maya wants to give her the benefit of the doubt on.

Keyword: _wants_. Maya doesn't want to give Riley the benefit of the doubt but she finds herself doing it.

She finds Riley sneaking through the cracks of her foundation by the way she sits with Maya at lunch and gives Maya big, wide smiles in class when she's rebelling against the teacher's homework as support. And while Maya doesn't understand her history homework, she thinks she's starting to understand how Riley works. Riley's golden and she radiates her own light. She shines through Maya's cracks and blows the dust out of them. She spreads her warmth through Maya when her antsy feet bump and collide with Maya's under the lunch table. She's starting to come to terms with the fact that Riley doesn't want to be saved from her or her darkness.

So Maya doesn't try to save her.

They kind of have a thing going so Maya entertains it. She eats lunch with Riley and plays footsie with her under the table. She even follows Riley all the way to her house while Riley skips and rattles her mouth off about her family and keeps turning around with her stupid, big smile to make sure Maya is still there and listening. Of course, Maya is still there because it's a lot better than going home to an empty house but that doesn't mean she wants to meet Riley's parents. She knows it's only a matter of time before they meet her with the same disapproving look in their eyes that all adults have when it comes to her. They'll think she's a bad influence and stop Riley from being her friend. And Riley's already becoming a permanent fixture in her life, she can't have them take her away too. She already knows she'll miss her light too much. But still, Maya finds herself climbing up the flights of stairs behind Riley.

When they make it to the door Riley turns to her, brimming with excitement, "You ready?"

Maya tries to meet Riley's smile but she gives a half smile that's bordering a grimace and shrugs, "I guess."

"Trust me, Maya, they're going to _love_ you."

Maya's protest die in her throat when Riley interlocks their fingers and says a bit softer, "I know because _I_ love you."

For a moment, they're quiet. Maya is looking into eyes and sees the same dark eyes she's grown accustomed to but she knows they're changing. She knows Riley has her now. She clears her throat, "Well, let's get to it, then."

Riley throws her door open, "Mom and dad, this is Maya."

 

**Author's Note:**

> i started writing this a few months ago and decided that i could probably clean it up and post it. so here it is, i had quite difficulty with it so i truly hope you enjoy it. may add another part to this.


End file.
